Missouri Law Enforcement Can Now Track Cell Phones in a Emergency
By: Katie Love
Updated: July 10, 2012
JOPLIN, MO.--- When it comes to your child, many parents say they would do anything to keep them from harm.
"You just want them to be able to act quickly and find the children and keep them safe," says Mother of four, Jenny Glenn.
What about when it comes to your privacy? Does it matter? A new law signed by Governor Jay Nixon gives Missouri Police the ability to track peoples cellphones signals during emergencies.
"You immediately think of emergency situations like that if my children were stuck in a storm shelter, I'd be so grateful for that bill," says Glenn.
The law was prompted by the 2007 killing of Kelsey Smith, 17, in Overland Park, Kansas. Authorities say she might have been found faster if they could have used the locator on her cell phone, maybe even saving her life.
"Time is really important when it comes to abduction or other serious crimes you have a limited time to act that's a benefit for law enforcement,' says Brian Lewis, Joplin Police Department.
While being able to track someone on a cell phone might be a great tool for police officers, some say it would be easy to abuse that power, even calling it unconstitutional.
"The authorization that allows law enforcement to require information probably in violation of peoples 4th amendment rights," says Bill Fleischaker, Joplin Lawyer.
Before the bill was passed, law enforcement agencies had to get a subpoena from the courts to get information from a cell phone company. Officers say this will help expedite the investigation process
"You just want them to be able to act quickly and find the children and keep them safe," says Mother of four, Jenny Glenn.
What about when it comes to your privacy? Does it matter? A new law signed by Governor Jay Nixon gives Missouri Police the ability to track peoples cellphones signals during emergencies.
"You immediately think of emergency situations like that if my children were stuck in a storm shelter, I'd be so grateful for that bill," says Glenn.
The law was prompted by the 2007 killing of Kelsey Smith, 17, in Overland Park, Kansas. Authorities say she might have been found faster if they could have used the locator on her cell phone, maybe even saving her life.
"Time is really important when it comes to abduction or other serious crimes you have a limited time to act that's a benefit for law enforcement,' says Brian Lewis, Joplin Police Department.
While being able to track someone on a cell phone might be a great tool for police officers, some say it would be easy to abuse that power, even calling it unconstitutional.
"The authorization that allows law enforcement to require information probably in violation of peoples 4th amendment rights," says Bill Fleischaker, Joplin Lawyer.
Before the bill was passed, law enforcement agencies had to get a subpoena from the courts to get information from a cell phone company. Officers say this will help expedite the investigation process
